Search icon

MMA

03rd Apr 2021

Exciting UFC 264 card takes shape as McGregor signs up for trilogy

Patrick McCarry

“You’re gonna see what the Mac is about”

The smack-talk is only beginning as Conor McGregor has confirmed his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier will be at UFC 264, in Las Vegas, on July 10.

‘The Notorious’ has made no secret of his desire to face-off against Poirier again, and was even angling for it in his post-fight interview at UFC 257.

McGregor was the dominant winner in the first meeting of both fighters, back in 2014, but Poirier emphatically avenged that ‘L’ by stopping the Dubliner in the second round of their rematch.

Poirier’s use of leg kicks effectively hobbled the former two-weight UFC champion and McGregor was a sitting duck in the second round of that Abu Dhabi headliner. Defeat saw McGregor drop to 22-5 in his career and 10-3 in the UFC.

The UFC then pressed ahead with a Michael Chandler fight against Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight belt that is being vacated by Khabib Nurmagomedov. While Poirier felt he was entitled to another shot at that strap, the UFC convinced him that there was no better time than now to see out his trilogy with McGregor.

The Louisiana native first mentioned the July 10 date during the week and it was announced, on Friday, that he had signed his bout agreement. On Saturday afternoon, McGregor followed suit.

‘The fight is booked,’ he declared. ‘July 10th you’re gonna see what the Mac is about. Adjust and absolutely f***ing destroy!’

McGregor vs. Poirier III will be the headliner of a summer pay-per-view that is set to take place in front of MMA fans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be the first time McGregor has fought there since he dismantled Donald Cerrone in a welterweight bout in January 2020.

The rest of the card is taking shape, too. Although not officially confirmed yet, welterweights Stephen Thompson and Gilbert Burns have verbally agreed to face off against each other at UFC 264.

Jessica Eye will face off against Jennifer Maia in a women’s flyweight bout while the likes of Ryan Hall and Brad Tavares are also on the fight card.

The UFC usually likes to push the boat out with their July PPVs in Las Vegas, so expect another big-name bout to be added to the main card.

Nate Diaz, who would love a trilogy fight against McGregor, has settled for a tilt with Leon Edwards at UFC 262. Should both McGregor and Diaz win their respective bouts, the chances of them finishing out their trilogy will only grow.